We recently posted a blog talking about a high-performance fibre network loop In London enabling data centres to forge ahead with consumption-based, on-demand Internet. We pointed out the need for such high-performance networks, given the daily addition of new devices by way of mobile phones and tablet computers. Today there is further evidence of the need for such networks. Google, the Internet giant that dominates search engine world, filed for a U.S. patent on 24 January 2013 for a revolutionary bone conduction system implemented in its Google Glass device. The device, which puts the power of portable computing into a set of eyeglasses, will deploy the bone conduction technology in place of audio speakers. By using indirect bone conduction, the developers of Google Class are able to provide an optional sound experience without the extra weight and power needs of traditional audio. It is just one of many technologies being developed specifically for the Glass project. Google Glass was introduced in July 2012 in what was one of the technology world's most anticipated events. Prior to the release, there was only speculation Google was working on this project. Since then the industry has been watching every move to see if the company can pull off its grandiose plans. If they can, then it will mean a flood of new devices accessing the Internet every day. This is especially important in light of the idea of a consumption driven Internet. It is unlikely the Glass will be useful for serious productivity… at least for the time being. That means sales of the first few million units will be primarily centred on mobile consumption of news, music, videos, and such. The addition of these devices to the greater mass will only put further stress on current infrastructure. This new reality demands the Internet, the cloud, and the data centre keep up. The initial model of the Glass, dubbed the “Explorer” edition, comes with a built-in 802.1 1B/G WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0. Users will operate the device through a side-mounted touch pad utilising tiny raised dots for navigation purposes. Eventually the developers would like to move away from that system to one in which the user can navigate simply by moving his or her eyes and blinking. As for the bone conduction system, transducers creating the sound vibrations will not be sending those vibrations directly to the head of the user. Instead, the vibrations will be sent through the body of the device, which will have direct access to the user's bone structure behind the ear. This design allows bone conduction to introduce sound to the wearer without the vibrations being felt. It is a brave new computing world out there thanks to the power of the Internet. The Google Glass device is just the latest technology proving what can be done in the Internet age. It will be interesting to see where this device takes us in terms of personal computing and consumption-based Internet.